The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a computer program. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a computer program, wherein information, newly generated or downloaded by a user in relation to content information stored in an information recording medium in increments of units, is recorded as managed data corresponding to the units, with secure data management and usage management being realized for each unit of the newly generated data as well.
Various kinds of software data, such as audio data like music and so forth, picture data like movies and so forth, game programs, various kinds of application programs, and so on (hereafter collectively referred to as “content”), can be stored in recording media, such as Blu-ray disks which use blue laser, or DVDs (Digital Versatile Disc), MDs (Mini Disc), CDs (Compact Disk), or the like, as digital data. Particularly, Blu-ray disks which use blue laser are capable of high-density recording, and can record great amounts of picture contents and the like as high-definition data.
Digital contents are stored in such various types of information recording media, and are provided to the user. The user reproduces and uses the contents using a reproducing device such as a PC (Personal Computer), and disk player, or the like.
With many contents, such as music data, image data, and the like, generally, the distribution rights thereof are held by the author or vendor. Accordingly, an arrangement is generally made such that certain usage restrictions are applied to distribution of such contents, i.e., so that only authorized users can use the contents, and that unauthorized duplications and so forth are not made.
With digital recording devices and recording media, data can be repeatedly recorded and reproduced without deterioration in image quality or audio quality, for example, and accordingly, there is the problem of widespread distribution of unauthorized copies of contents via the Internet, so-called bootleg disks wherein contents are copied to CD-Rs or the like, and usage of copied contents stored on hard disks of PCs and the like.
Large-capacity recording media such as DVDs, and blue-laser recording media developed in recent years, are capable of storing great amounts of digital information, one to several movies worth on one disk, for example. The capability to record such picture information and the like as digital information makes preventing unauthorized copies to protect copyright holders an even more important issue. Heretofore, various techniques have been put into practice for preventing unauthorized copying with digital recording device and recording media, in order to protect such unauthorized copying of digital data.
For example, Content Scramble System is used with DVD players. With Content Scramble System, video data, audio data, etc., is recorded in a DVD-ROM (Read Only Memory) in an encrypted form, and a key to be used for decrypting the encrypted data is provided to a licensed DVD player. A license is provided to a DVD player designed to follow predetermined action stipulations, such as not performing unauthorized copying and so forth. Accordingly, licensed DVD players can reproduce the images and audio from the DVD-ROM by using the key provided thereto to decrypt the encrypted data recorded in the DVD-ROM.
On the other hand, unlicensed DVD players do not have a key for decrypting the encrypted data, and accordingly cannot decrypt the encrypted data recorded in the DVD-ROM. Thus, DVD players which to not satisfy conditions required at the time of licensing cannot reproduce from the DVD-ROM storing digital data, thereby preventing unauthorized copying.
In this way, a management system for content stored in information recording media has been established. However, secure data management and usage management is far from being realized regarding data generated by a user executing a program stored in information recording media as content, and data content obtained from external servers, and so forth.
In the event of performing secure management of data generated by users executing programs stored in information recording media and data content obtained from external servers, individual data needs to be handled by the user protecting with his/her own password, applying an encryption key externally obtained to create encrypted data, and so forth. Such a data management configuration results in the problem of an increased number of encryption keys and passwords to manage in the event that generated data and obtained data increases, the location of data readily becomes unclear, and further the correlation of stored data and encryption keys/passwords also becomes unclear. Another current issue is that sufficient measures are not implemented regarding such new data.